Department for Transport

Driving under Influence: Prosecutions

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21 December 2016 (HL4034), what progress has been made in collecting and publishing figures for the prosecution of incidents of drink driving which involve a casualty.

lord callanan: The Government are not yet in a position to publish any robust data in this area. Although preliminary work to develop suitable methodologies has taken place, it has not yet been possible to develop these into a data set that can be generated in a regular or systematic way. Both departments will continue to keep this area under close review going forwards.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the publication of their report introducing roadworthiness testing for fast tractors used for haulage, and other technical changes to vehicle testing legislation,they are planningfurther action; if so, what; and in particular, whethera further consultation response is planned for later this year.

lord callanan: The report sets out Government decisions on several issues. It announced the introduction of roadworthiness testing for fast tractors used for non-agricultural commercial haulage. It also announced a number of technical changes to the MOT test. Legislation has been made to give effect to these changes, which will take effect from 20 May 2018. In advance of that date, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency will make the necessary operational changes, including updates to the relevant testing manuals. Several other potentially longer term pieces of work are referred to in the publication, on car ‘clocking’ and on prohibition clearance charging. The Government is considering carefully what action may be needed in these areas, although there are no current plans for a further public consultation this year.

Invalid Vehicles: Pedestrian Areas

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 20 September, what discussions they have heldwith the police about the enforcement of the Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988; and in particular the legal requirements that (1) no power chair or mobility scooter must exceed 4mph whilst driven on a pavement, (2) they must not exceed 113.4kgs in weight, and (3) they must be fitted with a speed indicator and a regulator capable of restricting them to 4mph on the footway (pavement); and whether they will encourage the police to bring prosecutions for flagrant disregard of those legal requirements.

lord callanan: Officials will be writing to the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing bringing the matters raised to his attention and asking that he raise the matter with Chief Constables. However, the deployment of resources is a matter for local Police and Crime Commissioners and their Police forces, based on local priorities. Protecting pedestrians and all road users is a key priority. We have some of the safest roads in the world but are always looking at ways to make them safer.

Home Office

Police: Road Traffic Control

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many traffic police by police regionthere were in England and Wales in (1)2015, and (2) 2016.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the primary function of police officers, as part of the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletins which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales (see attached table )These data include officers whose primary function is “Road Policing”. Officers with multiple responsibilities are recorded under their primary function.Some forces are unable to make a clear distinction between certain functions and therefore record the majority of, or all, employees under one function. In particular, some forces have employees who work within units whose function is to provide both roads policing and armed policing. Reclassification of roles within a force can lead to fluctuations in the number of officers in a particular role between years.



Table - HL1737 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 26 KB)

Road Traffic Offences

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, of the court prosecutions for traffic offences in 2016, how many (1) were generated by camera enforcement or initiated by police officers, and (2) ended with (a) disposals by use of National Driver Offender Retrainer Schemes,and (b) Fixed Penalty Notices.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of motoring offences dealt via a fixed penalty notice (FPN) in the ‘Police powers and procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletins. Data up to 2015 can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-walesData on FPNs for motoring offences issued in 2016 will be published in the next edition of the ‘Police powers and procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin. This bulletin is scheduled for release on Thursday 26th October.Offences that come under ‘neglect of traffic directions’ and ‘speed limit offences’ may be detected by the police or by traffic enforcement cameras.Data on these offences, up to 2015, can be found in the following table broken down by camera detected and non-camera detected:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/561976/fixed-penalty-notices-police-powers-procedures-hosb1516-tables.odsWhen an individual receives a FPN for a motoring offence, there are a number of outcomes they could face: pay a fine, receive points on their driving licence, attend a driver retraining course or face court action which may lead to prosecution. Once an individual faces court action they lose the option of attending a driver retraining course.The Home Office has previously only published FPNs which resulted in a fine or points on a drivers licence. In the next edition of the ‘Police powers and procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin the Home Office has widened the scope of the data it publishes to include the additional outcomes (such as driver retraining courses).Information on convictions for motoring offences is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice.

British Nationality: Assessments

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many complaints were received regarding the Life in the UK citizenship test in each month since 2010.

baroness williams of trafford: The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

British Nationality: Assessments

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the effect that passing the Life in the UK citizenship test has in promoting British values and improving integration.

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultationthey have undertakenwith any ofthe more than two million new citizens since the Life in the UK citizenship test was first used in 2005 to ensure that the test is a satisfactory measure of the possession ofknowledge of life in theUK sufficient for citizenship.

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Life in the UK citizenship test prior to setting the pass rate for that test.

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of UK nationals’ knowledge of life in theUK for the current Life in the UK citizenship test.

baroness williams of trafford: The Life in the UK test is based upon our handbook – Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents – which is available for all applicants to study as part of their test preparation. It was revised substantively in 2013, and took into account feedback received from previous applicants and others who had provided comments on it. The content of the handbook moved away from statistics and related information and put the emphasis on British history, culture and democracy. The test questions were revised at this time to reflect the change in emphasis.The test is designed to allow an applicant to demonstrate that they share key knowledge with the broader population, and possess an understanding of the expectations of an integrated migrant.We worked with the test provider to set the level and format of the test, ensuring the consistency of tests between applicants. We continue to review the questions and tests with the provider.

Electronic Surveillance: USA

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, or propose to take, since the publication of the Annual Report from the Interception of Communications Commissioner on 8 April 2014 and the findings of fact by Judge Gerard Hogan of the Irish High Court on 18 June 2014, in relation to the surveillance of European citizens’ data through the US Prism programme.

baroness williams of trafford: The Interception of Communications Commissioner said in his report covering 2013 that:“Public authorities do not misuse their powers under RIPA Part I to engage in random mass intrusion into the private affairs of law abiding UK citizens. It would be comprehensively unlawful if they did. I have considered whether there is a material risk that unlawful intrusion might occur in the operation of Section 8(4). Subject to some further investigation, I conclude there is no material risk.I am quite clear that any member of the public who does not associate with potential terrorists or serious criminals or individuals who are potentially involved in actions which could raise national security issues for the UK can be assured that none of the interception agencies which I inspect has the slightest interest in examining their emails, their phone or postal communications or their use of the internet, and they do not do so to any extent which could reasonably be regarded as significant.British intelligence agencies do not circumvent domestic oversight regimes by receiving from US agencies intercept material about British citizens which could not lawfully be acquired by intercept in the UK.”Notwithstanding this endorsement of the intelligence agencies’ practices, since the Commissioner’s report in 2014 Parliament has enacted the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 which completely overhauls and updates the legal regime, safeguards and oversight which govern the intelligence agencies’ use of surveillance powers. The Act also addresses a number of the recommendations contained in reports from the Commissioner, as well as responding to independent reviews by David Anderson QC (then the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation), the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament and the Royal United Services Institute.With regards to the case before the Irish High Court, this related to the sharing of information of European citizens with the United States of America under the “Safe Harbour” agreement. The Irish Court referred the case to the European Court of Justice. Since then, the US and European Commission have negotiated a new agreement for data transfers known as “Privacy Shield”.

Crime: Rural Areas

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of rural crime on farmers and other rural businesses.

baroness williams of trafford: The 2015 Commercial Victimisation Survey found that 24 per cent of agriculture, forestry and fishing premises had experienced at least one incident of crime (excluding online crime) a statistically significant fall of six percentage points compared with the 2013 Survey. Vandalism, theft and burglary were the most common crime types experienced by this sector.On average there were 330 incidents of online crime per 1,000 premises in this sector, which is around a third of the incidence rate for ‘traditional’ crimes against this sector. The majority of online crime incidents involved computer viruses.

Asylum

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatis their estimate of thenumber ofasylum applications there will be once the UK is no longer a party to the Dublin Regulation III after leaving the EU.

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatis their estimate of thenumber ofdeportations of unsuccessful applicants for asylum there will be once the UK has left the EU.

baroness williams of trafford: The Dublin III Regulation is only one aspect of the UK’s asylum and returns system, and most asylum seekers in the UK do not enter or leave the UK as part of the Dublin process.As the drivers of migration are wide-ranging, complex, and extend far beyond our participation in the Dublin III Regulation, the UK Government has not modelled the likely impact of our participation in the Dublin III Regulation lapsing on exit from the EU. The latest statistics on numbers entering the UK and being returned to participating Member States through the Dublin process can be found here: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Dublin_statistics_on_countries_responsible_for_asylum_application

Immigration: Fees and Charges

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of fees set by the Home Office for (1) border, (2) immigration, and (3) citizenship services, has been used to fund each of those servicesrespectively, in eachquartersince 2010.

baroness williams of trafford: The Department can confirm that all income received from fees charged for border, immigration and citizenship services are used to fund border, immigration and citizenship activity.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of fees set by the Home Office for (1) border, (2) immigration, and (3) citizenship services, have been used to fund different services, in each yearsince 2010.

baroness williams of trafford: The Department can confirm that all income from fees charged for border, immigration and citizenship services is used to fund border, immigration and citizenship activity.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the amount of fees received by the Home Office from people using email to make enquiries about(1)border,(2)immigration, and (3) citizenship services monthly in 2017 to date.

baroness williams of trafford: The £5.48 email charge is levied to fund the commercial contract as the UK government believes it is right that those who use and benefit directly from the UK immigration system make an appropriate contribution towards meeting the costs of the immigration system. Those who use the services are predominantly from outside the UK. Our web site www.gov.uk is the main source of information and advice and is free of charge.Further details of the financial arrangement in place between the Home Office and SITEL UK Ltd for the provision of Contact Centre Services (UK and International) is not available due to it being commercially sensitive.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of fees received by the Home Office from people overseas using email to make enquiries about (1) border, (2) immigration, and (3) citizenship services, has been used to fund activities other than providing email responses monthly in 2017 to date.

baroness williams of trafford: The £5.48 email charge is levied to fund the commercial contract as the UK government believes it is right that those who use and benefit directly from the UK immigration system make an appropriate contribution towards meeting the costs of the immigration system. Those who use the services are predominantly from outside the UK. Our web site www.gov.uk is the main source of information and advice and is free of charge.Further details of the financial arrangement in place between the Home Office and SITEL UK Ltd for the provision of Contact Centre Services (UK and International) is not available due to it being commercially sensitive.

British Nationality: Assessments

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many attempts to sit the Life in the UK citizenship test have been made in each month since 1 January 2010.

baroness williams of trafford: This information is published quarterly here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data On the tab: Temporary and Permanent Migration Data The monthly breakdown is as follows (in line with the most recent published data). Test Attempts : Life in the UK Test by Year and Month1st January 2010 to 30th June 2017  YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec201012,97114,82817,76815,74615,53815,65515,76214,45114,81916,40816,13313,483201116,30417,58821,57416,82616,52915,54313,84812,65612,83613,33113,11210,687201213,28413,56215,77411,23111,89612,22712,86814,61314,05212,31611,3478,686201311,10015,73723,0117,4268,69110,24910,44312,26715,32417,36011,8868,963201413,52512,95816,56114,40315,48314,67313,78114,13911,75313,33713,44011,686201514,31713,73215,43914,58815,53014,90414,79614,84517,28517,76012,0899,896201610,79211,75714,35013,07610,65310,29112,00211,97110,5408,55410,6378,88120179,67911,18914,15511,32910,3379,257

British Nationality: Assessments

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals passed the Life in the UK citizenship test in each month since 1 January 2010.

baroness williams of trafford: This information is published quarterly here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data The monthly breakdown is as follows (in line with the most recent published data):Test Passes : Life in the UK Test by Year and Month1st January 2010 to 30th June 2017 Calendar YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec201010,05411,01313,03011,71011,41211,38311,62910,68210,83911,87111,4349,586201111,88112,97015,83912,48012,31611,89811,03610,37110,49910,77310,6128,697201211,08211,44413,2649,47010,11110,48511,16112,65712,10010,5099,6997,43820139,58013,87119,7345,2076,4767,7517,7949,20811,26212,1268,2365,88020148,6648,23410,5598,5729,1708,6948,0888,5417,2048,1098,1746,95020158,8448,7109,6258,7909,4999,0859,1399,01910,47110,1127,1516,24220166,9407,6589,3228,4166,5566,5338,3618,0376,8145,4306,5875,56020176,2037,5589,5437,7486,9396,392

Abortion

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to prevent harassment and intimidation of women accessing abortion services.

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce the power to usepublic space protection orders to prevent the harassment and intimidation of women accessing abortion services.

baroness williams of trafford: This country has a proud history of allowing free speech, but the right to peaceful protest does not extend to harassment or threatening behaviour. The police have a range of powers to deal with any such acts.Under the Public Order Act 1986, chief officers may impose conditions on assemblies to prevent serious public disorder, serious damage to property, serious disruption to the life of the community or when the purpose is to intimidate others to compel them not to do an act that they have a right to do.The police also have dispersal powers (in public places) under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 includes criminal offences that protect individuals, who are conducting lawful activities, from harassment by protestors. How these powers are deployed and the tactics used to manage protests are operational matters for the police.Public Space Protection Orders are tools which local authorities can use to stop people committing anti-social behaviour in a public place, applying restrictions to how that public space can be used. They cannot be used to prohibit static protests.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Natural Gas: Storage

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many billions of KWh of natural gas storage the UK possesses; and what comparative estimate they have made of the equivalent figures for (1) Germany, (2) France, and (3) Italy.

lord prior of brampton: On the 8th October 2017 (the most recent date for which data is available), there were 21 TWh (21 billion KWh) of natural gas in storage in various facilities across the UK. This is compared to 100 TWh in France, 202 TWh in Germany, and 184 TWh in Italy.However, a direct comparison between these countries does not reflect the amount of indigenous gas production available to them – when North Sea gas stocks are included in these figures, the UK is broadly in line with the rest of Europe.

Congenital Abnormalities: Research

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what Government-sponsored research is currently under way in respect of neural tube defect births.

lord prior of brampton: The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), through its Clinical Research Network, is supporting two studies relating to neural tube defects:Database Development for Newborn Screening DisordersA study to develop a genotype-phenotype correlative database for six Newborn Screening Disorders by performing Next Generation DNA Sequencing on a small panel of genes and collecting medical record information from screen positive and clinically affected patients.Prevention of Neural Tube Defects by Inositol (PONTI)The study is intended to address the question of whether combined treatment folic acid and inositol is more effective at preventing neural tube defects than folic acid alone. Research relating to neural tube defect births is also be supported through the Research Councils. Examples of current and recent projects supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC) include:Understanding the role of the Glycine Cleavage System in Neural Tube DefectsThis project studies a group of proteins involved in folate handling and looks at their possible involvement in neural tube defects.Investigating the effect of folic acid on the neural tube defect methylomeIn many cases, neural tube defects (NTDs) are preventable by the mother taking periconceptional supplements of folic acid. This study is designed to generate a better understanding of the processes of normal and abnormal neural tube development and how folic acid interacts with this.As Government funders of health research, neither the NIHR nor the MRC allocate funding for specific disease areas. The level of research spend in a particular area, such as neural tube defects, is driven by factors including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications. MRC welcomes high quality applications in any disease area.

Property Searches

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to authorise the HM Land Registries scheme to digitise local land charge data; and when they plan to provide a fixed timeframe for the sign off of the local land charges register project.

lord prior of brampton: Work is already underway on the Local Land Charges programme, which will provide a central, digital service for local land charges by consolidating local authority registers into a single register. As with any major project, the government will review and approve the programme at key stages as appropriate.

Bombardier: USA

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many interactions, and with which officials, have they had with the government of the United States regarding the trade dispute brought by Boeing against Bombardier.

lord prior of brampton: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy set out in his statement to Parliament on 10 October 2017, Ministers and senior officials across government have had extensive engagement with the government of the United States regarding this trade dispute. The total of significant interaction amounts to twenty-five calls and meetings. This includes with senior members of the US Administration and Congress.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has discussed the matter a number of times with President Trump, stressing the importance of Bombardier’s operations in Belfast and asking the US Government to do all they can to encourage Boeing to drop its complaint. Cabinet Ministers, including the Business Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Trade Secretary and the Northern Ireland Secretary, have reinforced the UK’s serious concerns with, among others, the US Secretary of Commerce, the US Secretary of State, the US Treasury Secretary, the US Trade Representative and other members of the US Administration, as well as the EU Trade Commissioner.

Nuclear Power

lord grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government which departments will be responsible for the management of any future legislation relating to Euratom and EU Directives on (1) radioactive waste and spent fuel management, (2) protection against ionising radiation, (3) the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel, and (4) drinking water.

lord prior of brampton: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is the Department responsible for negotiating and reporting on the transposition of legislation relating to Euratom. Arrangements for future co-operation with Euratom are currently under negotiation. The implementation of Euratom Directives on radioactive waste and spent fuel management, protection against ionising radiation and the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel is generally the responsibility of BEIS, although some other Government departments and agencies have responsibility for specific areas. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs generally has responsibility for EU Directives regarding drinking water. Decisions on departmental responsibilities for the management of any future legislation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Nuclear Power

lord grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote integrated working between the agencies responsible for licensing nuclear sites and for safeguarding the public and the environment in the UK following the UK’s withdrawal from Euratom.

lord prior of brampton: Robust arrangements are in place to ensure effective joint regulatory working in relation to safe plant operation and in relation to controlling the use of radioactive substances and the safe management and disposal of consequential waste arisings. It is not anticipated that these arrangements will be affected by the UK’s withdrawal from Euratom.

Small Businesses

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government who within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has responsibility for overseeing and monitoring (1) the overall impact of Government legislation, and (2) the burden of regulation, on small and medium-sized enterprises.

lord prior of brampton: The Better Regulation Executive within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy works across Whitehall departments and with regulators to deliver the Government’s commitment to regulate more effectively over the course of this Parliament. This includes monitoring and reporting to Parliament on the overall impact of legislation and regulatory burdens on businesses of all sizes.

Utilities

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish a Green Paper during the current Parliament which covers consumer protection in relation to third-party intermediaries which offer water and energy services.

lord prior of brampton: The Government will publish a green paper in due course that will closely examine markets which are not working for consumers.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

British Overseas Territories: Hurricanes and Tornadoes

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what sums they have allocated to the relief efforts for damage caused to British Overseas Territories as a result of recent adverse weather.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has already committed £57 million towards meeting immediate humanitarian needs in the Overseas Territories. The Government are also matching public donations to the British Red Cross Hurricane Appeal for the region, up to £3 million. Over the coming months the UK Government will support Overseas Territory governments as they carry out impact and needs assessments. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office/Department for International Development team has been in the region to assist with this work which will support Overseas Territory governments as they design longer term recovery plans.

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent representations they have made to the government of the United States about the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is committed to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and we continue to press all states, including the US, who have not yet ratified it, to do so. Most recently, during the current 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, the UK made two public statements and co-sponsored a resolution pushing for entry into force, and universalisation of the Treaty. We also continue to work through the European Union to promote these goals.

Burma: Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the military’s role in the persecution of religious minorities throughout Myanmar, including in the Shan and Kachin States.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government remains deeply concerned by the persecution of the Muslim Rohingya population. There have been reports of rapes, killings, burning of villages, and the use of landmines; 536,000 refugees have fled over the border into Bangladesh since 25 August. The Burmese military is responsible for the brutality inflicted on the Rohingha and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe.We also remain deeply concerned over continued human rights abuses in Burma's ethnic border areas, especially in Shan and Kachin where hostilities are still taking place. We have repeatedly called on the military to end hostilities comprehensively, and have called on all sides to enter into dialogue towards a sustainable and comprehensive nationwide ceasefire and political reconciliation process.

Burma: Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of freedom of religion and belief throughout Myanmar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are deeply concerned by the violence and hate speech against Muslims and Christians in Burma. It is clear that the Rohingya face persecution and that Christians in Chin, Kachin and Kayin States face intimidation. Fears have been whipped up by nationalist Buddhists against the Rohingya, fuelling attacks against Muslims in Rakhine which have seen a sharp escalation since the attack by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on police posts on 25 August. Following its election in 2015, the civilian government have attempted to build interfaith and inter communal relations through a message of ‘strength through diversity’. These words need to be demonstrated by their actions.

Burma: Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the pressure placed on children to convert to Buddhism in the military run NaTaLa schools in Myanmar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the Burmese Government’s efforts to construct new living spaces for communities in conflict affected areas, known as Na Ta La, which roughly translates to “Border Areas National Races Youth Development Training Schools” and of some reports that these are being used to pressure children to convert to Buddhism. These reports are deeply concerning. The UK Government is clear that the persecution of individuals of any faith remains of profound concern. The freedom to practise, change or share faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a fundamental human right. Societies that aim to protect and promote freedom of religion or belief are more stable, prosperous and more resilient against violent extremism.

Burma: Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the arrests in Myanmar of two Kachin Baptist priests who face up toeight years imprisonment for assisting journalists, following a military airstrike on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Mong Ko in July.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK Government is deeply concerned for the welfare of the Kachin pastor and youth worker Dumdaw Nawng Lat and Langjaw Gam Seng since they were arrested on Christmas Eve 2016. They remain in detention in Shan. The Foreign Secretary raised their case with the military appointed Minister of Home Affairs when he visited Burma in January.We urge the military to produce evidence that Dumdaw Nawng Lat and Langjaw Gam Seng have any connections to any ethnic armed group and that this be presented and evaluated in a court of law. Should the evidence be non-existent or insufficient, we call for the immediate release of both men. Should the evidence exist, we urge the authorities to accord the two men due process and fair trial standards.

Egypt: LGBT People

lord mcinnes of kilwinning: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Egypt regarding recent reported increases in prosecutions and raids on the LGBTQ community in Egypt.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is committed to raising the issue of protection of the human rights of LGBT people and to supporting the legal, cultural and social change required to make equality a reality for LGBT people the world over.  We are very concerned about the current situation for LGBT people in Egypt, especially in light of the recent crackdown. The Egyptian Government is well aware of our position and we call on the Government of Egypt to uphold and protect the rights of all its citizens irrespective of religion, belief or sexual orientation.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they made to the government of Israel following the report from Medical Aid for Palestinians that five female cancer patients died in August after being prevented from attending hospital appointments outside Gaza.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not raised this specific issue, we have consistently called on the Israeli Government to ease movement and access restrictions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are supporting the UN Access Coordination Unit who work with the World Health Organisation, Israeli Government, Palestinian Authority (PA) and aid agencies to facilitate the transfer of medical equipment and supplies, as well as patient referrals in and out of Gaza. We are aware that Israeli hospitals do treat Palestinian patients following referrals from the PA.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel in response to reports that Israeli forces are using live ammunition on Palestinians during confrontation and military raids.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly raise with the Israeli Government the need for proportionality to any protest and accountability for security incidents, plus full access to justice for any victims.

Israel: Religious Freedom

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israelregarding the more than 53mosques and churches that have been vandalised in Israel and the West Bank.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have not had any recent contact with the Government of Israel on this issue. However, we will seek to raise concerns over the respect for places of worship with the appropriate Israeli authorities in the near future.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Transport

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to produce a position paper on transport post-Brexit.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Government has published a series of papers on the new deep and special partnership the UK wants to build with the EU, and these papers represent the hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes across Whitehall over the past twelve months.They offer pragmatic and innovative solutions to issues related to our withdrawal and the future deep and special partnership that we want with the European Union.The Government will publish further position papers on other issues in due course, providing more information to business and individuals, and informing our negotiations with the EU.

Regulation

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many EU-level regulatory bodies they anticipate will require the establishment of a new UK-level body as a result of the UK's departure from theEU and the conversion of EU law into UK law; and by what date they plan to have those bodies established.

baroness anelay of st johns: No decisions have yet been taken on our future relationship with the EU's regulatory bodies after exiting the EU. We are carefully considering a range of options and preparing for a number of negotiation outcomes.Prior to any decisions on establishing new UK-level bodies, the Government will, however, always look to minimise disruption and costs, which will include considering alternative options. The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill makes clear that any decision on creating new agencies would require the approval of both Houses of Parliament under the affirmative procedure.We will continue to plan for a range of scenarios and be ready to take any necessary steps to ensure that we are ready for exit day.

Brexit

lord elystan-morgan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of statements made by the Prime Minister about a vision of a global Britain following Brexit, how consistent, or otherwise, this is with her previous undertaking to the devolved administrations that their interests would be properly represented in the Brexit negotiations.

baroness anelay of st johns: As the Prime Minister has set out, as we leave the EU we are committed to securing a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom - for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and all parts of England.We have been clear from the start that the devolved administrations should be fully engaged in this process. The First Secretary of State most recently chaired a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations with the devolved administrations on Monday 16 October to discuss matters, including the UK’s priorities for the next phase of negotiations.We are committed to continued positive and productive engagement with the devolved administrations.

Brexit

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherany sectoral advice papers which they commissioned inrelation to Brexit will be released in 2017 in order to assist public and business assessments of the economic and social implications of the UK's departure from the EU without the conclusion of arrangements on Northern Ireland, financial arrangements with the EU, the status of UK and EU citizens, the jurisdiction of theEuropean Court of Justice, and a comprehensive trade framework.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Department for Exiting the European Union, working with officials across Government, is undertaking a wide range of analysis covering the entirety of the UK economy in order to support negotiations. Both parties want to achieve the best possible outcome and the strongest possible partnership for the future - one that works for the UK and for the EU.As Parliament has agreed, we will not publish anything that would undermine our ability to negotiate the best deal for the United Kingdom. It is not standard practice to provide an ongoing commentary on internal analytical work that is being carried out within government.We are confident that a future partnership between the UK and EU is in the interests of both sides, so we approach these negotiations anticipating success. We do not want or expect a no deal outcome. However, a responsible government should prepare for all potential outcomes, including the unlikely scenario in which no mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached.

Brexit

lord smith of finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the latest constitutional advice they have (1) sought, and (2) received, as to whether the Article 50 application to leave the EU can be revoked before the process is complete.

baroness anelay of st johns: A clear majority of the electorate voted to leave the EU and we will respect the will of the British people. This was reinforced by the fact that in the last general election over eighty percent voted for parties committed to respecting the outcome of the referendum. There can be no attempts to remain inside the EU and no attempt to rejoin it. There is no precedent for a country triggering Article 50, let alone seeking to reverse such a decision. As a matter of firm policy, our notification will not be withdrawn for the simple reason that people voted to leave. And we are determined to see through that instruction.

Customs

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to EU member states regarding the cost of new customs facilities and infrastructure that would be required in the event of a no deal outcome from the Brexit negotiations.

baroness anelay of st johns: Alongside our negotiations with the European Commission on the UK's exit from the European Union, the Government has regular and extensive engagement with EU Member States. These discussions lay the groundwork for constructive dialogue as we seek a successful outcome with the European Union.

Department for International Development

Syria: Overseas Aid

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answerby Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 September (HL1252), what is the role of Tamkeen in delivering UK aid to support moderates in Syria;which local councils are receiving UK aid through Tamkeen; and whether individuals associated withproscribed organisations, such as Al Qaida,are or have been members of councils which have received UK aid.

lord bates: The “Support to Emerging Local Governance in Syria (Tamkeen)” programme, which ended in 2016, and its successor, the “Strengthening Governance Structures (Tatweer)” programme, support Provincial and Local Councils in Syria by helping them to provide open and accountable local governance and services. Tatweer operates in 16 Syrian Local Councils identified as needing immediate basic services support across Idlib, Aleppo, Daraa and Rif Damascus governorates. DFID has extensive controls in place to ensure that UK aid reaches those who need it and that it does not benefit extremists or terror groups, including vetting processes to ensure such groups are not part of the Councils with which we work. We actively manage the risks of operating in Syria. We stop funding to any project or sub-project where we have any concern that it could benefit proscribed groups.

Syria: Overseas Aid

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answerby Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 September (HL1252),whether the UK aid given to Tamkeen has been spent in areas of northern Syria presently under the control of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham or Ahrar Al Sham; and if so, whether UK aid continues to be made available in those areas.

lord bates: Tamkeen and Tatweer, its successor programme, provide support to improve the capacity and processes of Provincial and Local Councils in northern Syria. DFID has extensive controls in place to ensure that UK aid reaches those who need it and that it does not benefit extremists or terror groups, such as Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, including vetting processes to ensure such groups are not part of the councils with which we work. We actively manage the risks of operating in Syria. We stop funding to any project or sub-project where we have any concern that it could benefit proscribed groups.

Libya: Refugees

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report produced by Oxfam and Doctors for Human Rights on the experience of refugees, not least women, fleeing war, persecution and poverty while they are in or transiting Libya; and what action they are taking to ensure that their policies are designed to meet the humanitarian needs of such people, and to ensure rights of safe passage.

lord bates: DFID are aware of Oxfam’s recent report and share their concerns. The UK provides humanitarian aid to migrants and refugees in Libya and specific support to women and girls at risk of sexual and gender based violence and trafficking. So far this year, DFID has supported more than 20,000 emergency interventions such as healthcare, psychosocial support, hygiene kits and safe shelter. The UK Government has also helped more than 1,400 vulnerable migrants to return home from Libya.Our resettlement schemes provide refugees with a safe and legal route to the UK, rather than risking hazardous journeys towards Europe. We also support the principle of family reunification.

Department for Education

Apprentices: Taxation

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many companies pay the apprenticeship levy in each region of England; and what proportion of revenue from the apprenticeship levy is paid by companies in each region of England.

viscount younger of leckie: We do not hold information on the number of companies paying the apprenticeship levy by region or what proportion of revenue from the levy is paid by companies in each region. Apprenticeship service data is available as reported to the end of August 2017, which includes the number of accounts registered on the apprenticeship service and the number of commitments made. This information can be found in the attached files as well as through the following weblink:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/apprenticeship-service-registrations-and-commitments-august-2017.These statistics are published on a monthly basis.



HL 1722 Experimental statistics
(PDF Document, 196.44 KB)




HL 1722 Apprenticeship service statistics
(Excel SpreadSheet, 127.5 KB)

Apprentices: Taxation

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the apprenticeship levy revenue raised between April and September has been distributed to training providers.

viscount younger of leckie: The Apprenticeship Levy is collected by the Treasury who have allocated a budget for apprenticeships to the Department. Training providers are paid based on the number of learners they train and published funding rates. At the end of the financial year, the Government reports on income including taxation and expenditure in departments’ annual reports, and the Department reports on apprenticeship spending in line with this timetable.

Apprentices: Taxation

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be the role of (1) Ofsted, and (2) the Institute for Apprenticeships, in monitoring the quality of apprenticeship training providers under the new apprenticeship levy framework in England.

viscount younger of leckie: There are many different organisations, including Ofsted and the Institute for Apprenticeships, involved in assuring various different aspects of the quality of apprenticeships. The responsibilities of each organisation with a role in regulating the apprenticeships system has been published in the Apprenticeship accountability statement. The Institute for Apprenticeships, a crown non-departmental public body which puts employers at the heart of the apprenticeship system, was formally established on 1 April 2017 to support the quality of apprenticeship standards in England. The Institute for Apprenticeships outlined how it will carry its functions in its operational plan. Further information about the role of Ofsted and the Institute of Apprenticeships, in monitoring the quality of apprenticeship training providers under the new apprenticeship levy framework in England, can be found in the attached document.



Hl1724 - Apprenticeship Accountability Statement
(PDF Document, 438.47 KB)

Learndirect

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to seek compensation from Learndirect Ltd for (1) breach of contract, or (2) misuse of public funds.

viscount younger of leckie: Learndirect Ltd have a wind-down clause within their contract for the Adult Education Budget, which will be terminated in July 2018. Routine audit work will be carried out in Learndirect Ltd during this period as part of the assurance work carried out by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). If this identifies errors in funding claims or breaches of funding regulations, the ESFA will seek an appropriate recovery.

Apprentices: Finance

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Association of Employment and Learning Providers about the funding allocated to training providers for employers of apprentices who do not pay the apprenticeship levy.

viscount younger of leckie: The timetable for the new non-levy employer apprenticeship procurement was announced by my Rt hon, Friend, the Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills and Minister for Women, at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) conference on 26 June 2017. Since then, Minister Milton has had a number of conversations with the AELP on all aspects of apprenticeships policy, including the non-levy employer apprenticeship procurement.

Ministry of Justice

Dangerous Driving

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there were in 2016 forcausing death by driving; and of those, how many resulted in a conviction.

baroness vere of norbiton: Defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts in England and Wales 2016 for offences of causing death by driving are in the table below:Defendants prceeded againt at magistrates' courts and offenders found guilty at all courts of causing death by driving (1) in England and Wales 2016 (2)(3)   OffenceProcecuted at Magistrates' courtsFound guilty(4)01. Causing death by dangerous driving22915702. Causing death by careless driving under influence of drink or drugs203203. Causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving21522503a. Causing death by driving without due care / consideration while over prescribed limit - specified controlled drug2-04. Causing death by driving unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers7505. Causing death by aggravated vehicle taking3-- ' = Nil(1) defined as Sections 1, 3 (a)(b)(c) Road Traffic Act 1988 and 12A of the Theft Act 1968.(2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.(4) Convictions may exceed prosecutions in a given year because defendants who appear before both courts may be convicted at the Crown Court for a different offence to that for which they were originally proceeded against at magistrates’ court.Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.Ref: PQ HL 1740

Magistrates: Sentencing

baroness seccombe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to enable magistrates to imprison offenders for up to 12 months.

lord keen of elie: The Government has no immediate plans to increase the custodial sentencing powers of magistrates but will continue to monitor the position to ensure we provide magistrates with appropriate and proportionate powers to deal with the cases that come before them.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Part-time Employment

lord craig of radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theremarks by Earl Howe on 11 October (HL Deb, col 249) indicating that references to "part-time" were included within a previous Armed Forces Act, to which Act he intended to refer.

earl howe: During the Report Stage for the Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill, I referred to Section 2(1A) and (1B) of the Armed Forces Act 1966. This reference was inaccurately transcribed in the official record of the debate but it has now been corrected in Hansard. https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2017-10-11/debates/220ACDFE-DF29-4AAA-A19D-56D630971A98/ArmedForces(FlexibleWorking)Bill(HL)

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the request from the Chartered Institution of Housing to delay the further rolling out of Universal Credit until existing payment delays and other problems have been resolved.

baroness buscombe: We have no plans to slow down the rollout of Universal Credit. It is already delivering improvements to people’s lives. Under Universal Credit, people are moving into work faster and staying in work longer than under the old system. It would be wrong to deny people these benefits by delaying the rollout of Universal Credit.

Welfare Assistance Schemes

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding contained in the report of the Centre for Responsible Credit, The Decline of Crisis and Community Care Support in England, published in September, that 26 local authorities have closed their local welfare assistance schemes while others have cut spending on such schemes; and what plans they have to consider the Centre's proposals for reform.

baroness buscombe: The reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 have allowed local authorities in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to deliver their own local provision for people who are in need of urgent help. They are best placed to target flexible help on those in need, alongside their other local services. The Government has no plans to change these arrangements.

Social Security Benefits

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Atos and Capita deploy the same healthcare professionals for the non-medical Personal Independence Payment assessment and the medical assessment for Employment and Support Allowance, the Work Capability Assessment.

baroness buscombe: The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments delivers Work Capability Assessments for Employment and Support Allowance. Personal Independence Payment assessments are delivered by Independent Assessment Services (operated by Atos) and Capita.Each company employs their own health professionals.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Livestock: Transport

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the six-day standstill rule on farmers taking their animals to auction marts.

lord gardiner of kimble: The current six-day standstill rule for livestock movements balances the risk of disease transmission against the industry’s need to trade livestock. It was introduced in 2003 following the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak in 2001. Its purpose is to reduce the spread of undetected disease such as was seen in 2001, reducing the scope and cost of an outbreak. After extensive modelling, the standstill period was set at six days to take into account the weekly cycle of market sales. The standstill rule includes a range of exemptions that support the regime, including for movements through market. The Farming Regulation Task Force reviewed standstill in 2011 and recommended the relaxation of standstill rules for movements between farms and where keepers were able to establish approved separation units. There was no consensus amongst industry regarding the right approach, particularly due to concerns around the potential distortion of trade resulting from maintaining standstill for markets and the cost and effectiveness of separation units. Government is committed to a further review of standstill in 2018, following the implementation of another Farming Regulation Task Force recommendation to simplify the way livestock holdings are defined for recording and reporting purposes which will impact on the number of standstills that need to be complied with.

Electric Vehicles: Batteries

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 14 September (HL1306), what modelling they have carried out to determine the level of private sector investment in reprocessing facilities that will be neededto meet the expected rise in lithium-ion batteries entering the waste stream once sales of petrol and diesel cars have ended.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 (as amended) places certain waste battery collection and treatment obligations on battery producers. As such, producers are ultimately responsible for ensuring that sufficient reprocessing capacity is available, which is why the Department has not undertaken such modelling.

Bees: Conservation

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take to help beekeepers provide a safe environment for bees to thrive.

lord gardiner of kimble: In England, Defra supports beekeepers through the work of the National Bee Unit (NBU). NBU Bee Inspectors carry out inspections of over 5,000 apiaries each year looking for bee pests and diseases. Where key pests and diseases are found the inspectors take necessary statutory action for their control. They also provide beekeepers with training and advice.

Agricultural Products: UK Trade with EU

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of the UK's future relationship with the EU, they will seek preferential access to the EU Single Market for agricultural products.

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of the UK's future relationship with the EU, they will seek preferential access to the EU Single Market for fisheries products.

lord gardiner of kimble: We are working towards achieving the best possible deal for the UK’s food and drink industry, and we want to secure a deep and comprehensive Free-Trade Agreement as an alternative to membership of the Single Market.We want to see trade that is as frictionless as possible, including for agricultural and fisheries products.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Leasehold: Housing Associations

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to review legislation inrelation to leasehold enfranchisement where the freeholder is a charity and the landlord is a housing association.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government’s consultation, 'Tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market', considered a number of issues within the leasehold sector including the sale of new built leasehold houses, and onerous ground rents. The consultation also sought views on what further areas of leasehold reform should be prioritised and why.The public consultation, which closed on 19 September, received around 6,000 replies. We are carefully analysing the responses, and will issue the Government response shortly.

Social Rented Housing: Construction

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will allocate the £2 billion for new council and housing association house building announced by the Prime Minister on 4 October; and over what period that funding will be made available.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The funding will be available in England through the Affordable Homes Programme. This is funding with a focus on supporting council housebuilding and housing associations in areas of greatest need; and bids for social rent will need to demonstrate that they provide additionally. We are finalising the delivery procedure and an announcement on when the funding is open for bids will be published shortly.The funding will be made available for the duration of the Affordable Homes Programme.

Social Rented Housing: Construction

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new houses they expect to be built as a result of the additional £2 billion for council and housing association homes announced by the Prime Minister on 4 October; and whether the right to buy will apply tothose properties.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The additional £2 billion funding for council and housing association homes, including for social rent, will increase the Government’s Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21 to £9 billion.As set out at Autumn Statement 2016, the Affordable Homes Programme is flexible and sets no ringfences on particular forms of tenure. The amount of funding, the tenure types and the number of homes delivered will be dependent on bids received, reflecting on assessments of local housing needs. Funding for social rent will be focused on areas with acute affordability challenges.The statutory Right to Buy will apply to tenants of local authority properties who have secure tenancies and meet the qualification criteria.

Tenants' Rights

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written AnswerbyLord Young of Cookham on 14 September (HL1315), how tenants of (1) housing associations, and (2)land in the ownership of large charities, may request information about their stewardship.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: In respect of housing associations, the independent Social Housing Regulator is responsible for regulation of registered providers in England. They set regulatory standards that housing associations are expected to meet. It is the responsibility of boards of housing associations to ensure their organisation meets the regulator's standards, and that they are open and accountable in how their organisation meets its objectives.Specifically under the tenant empowerment and involvement standard the regulator expects associations to provide support to their tenants to develop and implement opportunities for involvement and empowerment. This includes supporting their tenants to exercise housing management functions; the formation and activities of tenant panels or equivalent groups; providing timely and relevant performance information to support effective scrutiny by tenants of their association’s performance and providing support to tenants to build their capacity to be more effectively involved including holding boards to account.Requests for information about stewardship of charitable assets – including land – should be made to the charity and its trustees. Registered charities with an annual income over £25,000 must submit a copy of their annual accounts and trustees’ annual report to the Charity Commission. These accounts and other information about individual charities can be found on the Commission’s charity register -www.gov.uk/checkcharity

Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 12 September (HL1544), what activitiesthey areundertaking as part of their consideration of the impact on SMEs of the recent change in how the Valuation Office Agency assesses single business spaces covering multiple floors; whether they will be seeking evidence from third parties to inform their considerations; whether they will be publishing their findings; and if so, by what date.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: It is the statutory duty of the Valuation Office Agency to determine rateable values and decide what should constitute a single rating assessment. They do this independently of Ministers. The Supreme Court judgement clarified how ratepayers in multi-occupied buildings should be treated for business rates. So this is not the result of a change in Government policy but a consequence of a legal ruling by the highest court in the land.The Government is listening to ratepayers, sector bodies and rating professionals who have raised concerns about the implications from this judgement. These implications may flow from the Valuation Office Agency concluding that the total rateable value of separate assessments is different to the rateable value when they were assessed as one. This is due to a widespread effect in the property market known as “quantum” under which larger occupations tend to be cheaper to rent per square metre then smaller ones. We are also aware of some instances where ratepayers have lost some or all of their Small Business Rate Relief because they are now considered to have more than one property. We are considering these implications and how they have affected ratepayers.

Lancashire County Council

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether they should take direct control of the administration of Lancashire County Council by appointing a commissioner.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Secretary of State uses his statutory powers of inspection under the 1999 Local Government Act extremely rarely, and has only appointed inspectors twice in the last five years, in Tower Hamlets and Rotherham. In both cases there were highly exceptional circumstances, with evidence from statutory inspections of widespread, systemic and extremely serious failures in those local authorities.At present the Government has made no assessment of whether statutory action would be appropriate in Lancashire County Council.

Local Government: Trade Unions

lord kirkhope of harrogate: To ask Her Majesty's Government what protections are in place to avoid conflicts of interest in the negotiating process between local authorities and trade unions in relation to the terms and conditions of public sector workers.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Employment matters for local authorities are devolved. It is for local authorities in negotiation with their recognised local government unions to make decisions on pay, terms and conditions for local government workforce in line with general good conduct principles. DCLG ministers do not have a role in these negotiations.

HM Treasury

Overseas Loans: Republic of Ireland

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the UK is still owed by the Republic of Ireland as a result of loans connected to the financial crash of 2007; what are the arrangements for repayment; and whether they will arrange for such information to be published in the Official Report.

lord bates: I refer the noble Lord to the most recent statutory report which the Treasury provided to Parliament as required by Section 2 of the Loans to Ireland Act 2010. The last report was laid in Parliament on 18 April 2017 and is available in the Printed Paper Office. This report shows the outstanding principal is £3,226,960,000, with repayments due in tranches from 15 April 2019 until 26 March 2021. The timetable for repayment set out in this report remains unchanged.

Help to Buy Scheme

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the costs and benefits ofintroducing a windfall tax on the surplus profits made by house builders as a result ofthe Help to Buy Scheme.

lord bates: The government has announced that the Help to Buy equity loan scheme will continue until March 2021 with an additional £10 billion of funding available. Help to Buy equity loan is intended to help people who otherwise would not be able to afford a deposit to buy a home. It is restricted to new-build properties to ensure that it also helps to drive up the number of homes being built. The programme has played an important role in supporting the housing market since 2013 and the number of homes being built has reached its highest level since 2008.

Halifax Bank of Scotland

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Financial Conduct Authority advised them that their report into the collapse of HBOS would be produced in a manner which would allow it to be published.

lord bates: The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) report into the failure of HBOS (developed with the Prudential Regulation Authority) was published in November 2015. Given the independence of the FCA, the government has no involvement regarding the timetable of any on-going FCA investigations.

European Investment Bank

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to remain (1) an investor in, and (2) recipient of funding from, the European Investment Bank;and if not,whether they will elect to sell their shares in the bank and repay all outstanding loans.

lord bates: The future relationship between the UK and the European Investment Bank (EIB) will be determined as part of the negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU and the government will not be giving a running commentary on these negotiations. Contracts signed between the EIB Group and UK counterparties are matters for the parties. The government is clear that the UK’s exit from the EU on its own does not change existing EIB Group contracts with UK counterparties.

Revenue and Customs: Birmingham

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of those who will be working at HMRC's new building at 3 Arena Central in Birmingham will be able to store their bikes in the building; and whether there are any plans to increase the number of HMRC employees cycling to that workplace, in line with their active travel strategy.

lord bates: HMRC is committed to supporting its staff to make sustainable and active travel choices. HMRC is developing a comprehensive Sustainable Travel Plan for each Regional Centre and published the first such plan, for Croydon Regional Centre, in July 2017.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in reforming stamp duty land tax, it was their policy intention to reduce receipts and transactions in properties over £1million in 2016–17.

lord bates: Housing market activity is affected by a wide variety of factors, of which Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is just one. The Autumn Statement 2014 reforms were introduced to reduce distortions and improve the fairness of the tax system. The reforms led to 98% of purchasers paying less, unless they are buying an additional property. The government believes it is fair that those who can afford to buy the most expensive properties contribute the most. Overall, total residential SDLT receipts increased between 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Interest Rates

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of current interest rates on asset prices, the value of sterling, and business investment.

lord bates: The Monetary Policy Committee independently sets monetary policy, including interest rates, to achieve the objective of price stability, currently defined as an inflation target of 2 per cent. The government does not express a view on the level of the exchange rate. The value of sterling adjusts flexibly in response to economic conditions and market forces.The government will continue to monitor economic developments closely, while at the same time taking steps to promote economic growth and support individuals and businesses.

Cabinet Office

Employment

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of thenumber ofworkers(1) employed on zero-hours contracts,and (2)working in other forms of insecure temporary employment; and what percentage those workersrepresent of the total workforce aged 18 to 65.

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of thenumber ofworkers aged 18 to 65 whom they recognise as self-employed; and what percentage of the total UK workforce those workersrepresent.

lord young of cookham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA response
(PDF Document, 253.85 KB)

Government Departments: Business Interests

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will issue guidance for departments on how to incorporate business appointment rules into staff terms and conditions.

lord young of cookham: The Civil Service Management Code already sets out how to incorporate the Business Appointment Rules into civil servants’ terms and conditions.

Government Departments: Business Interests

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to amend the business appointment rules to make clear that applications can be rejected.

lord young of cookham: Government Departments can, and do, advise that certain appointments are unsuitable. The Cabinet Office is currently updating guidance for departments on the application of the rules, which will reiterate this point.Information about the number of applications rejected since 2010 is not held centrally.

Government Departments: Business Interests

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications made in accordance with the business appointment rules have been rejected since 2010.

lord young of cookham: Government Departments can, and do, advise that certain appointments are unsuitable. The Cabinet Office is currently updating guidance for departments on the application of the rules, which will reiterate this point.Information about the number of applications rejected since 2010 is not held centrally.

Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations

lord elystan-morgan: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions within the last 12 months the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU negotiations) has met.

lord young of cookham: Within the last 12 months, the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) has met five times.

Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations

lord elystan-morgan: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions it is intended the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU negotiations)will meet within the next 12 months.

lord young of cookham: The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) (JMC(EN)) met on Monday 16 October and will meet again later in 2017. Further meetings are to be agreed by all administrations.The UK Government is committed to engagement with the devolved administrations, both within the formal structures of the Joint Ministerial Committee and also through bilateral discussions.

Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations

lord elystan-morgan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU negotiations) has, in relation to Wales, met members of the Welsh Assembly.

lord young of cookham: The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) (JMC(EN)) consists of representatives from the UK Government and each of the devolved administrations.Mark Drakeford, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in the Welsh Government and the Welsh Labour Assembly Member for Cardiff West, has attended every meeting of JMC(EN) as a Minister for the Welsh Government.

Public Sector: Procurement

baroness mcgregor-smith: To ask Her Majesty's Government what changes they expectin relation topublic procurement rules post Brexit.

lord young of cookham: The current public procurement rules will continue to apply until the UK has left the EU following the successful conclusion of exit negotiations. The longer-term opportunities for our procurement regulations are in the process of consideration.

Department for International Trade

Bombardier: USA

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Boeing Corporation concerning that company's complaint against Bombardier's "C" Series aircraft.

baroness sugg: My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Greg Clark) and my hon Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Minister for Energy and Industry (Richard Harrington), have spoken and met with Boeing a number of times to persuade the company to drop or settle its case, pointing out that this dispute will harm US suppliers which benefit significantly from this aircraft programme. In addition, senior government officials have spoken to members of Boeing’s senior management team in the US and the UK.

Bombardier: USA

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Canada concerning the decision of the US Department of Commerce to impose a 300 per cent levy on sales of Bombardier "C" Series aircraft; and whether they have asked the government of Canada to co-operate fully with the US authorities by revealing the terms of any financial engagement it or Canadian regional governments may have had with Bombardier in respect of the "C" Series aircraft.

baroness sugg: The Government is working in conjunction with counterparts in the Canadian Government, to encourage Boeing to withdraw its complaint and seek a negotiated settlement with Bombardier. My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and UK Government officials have been in close and frequent contact with their Canadian counterparts. The Prime Minister also discussed this issue with Prime Minister Trudeau earlier this month, and my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Greg Clark) has, for example, had a number of conversations with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, in support of Bombardier.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Sky: 21st Century Fox

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they anticipate announcing the result of the current application regarding the merger of Sky with 21st Century Fox.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport formally referred the merger of Sky with 21st Century Fox to the Competition and Markets' Authority (CMA) for a Phase 2 investigation on 20 September. From the point of referral the CMA has 24 weeks in which to report to the Secretary of State; the statutory deadline for this report is 6 March 2018. Following receipt of the CMA's report the Secretary of State has 30 days in which to come to a final decision on the merger.

Athletics: Finance

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much (1) HMTreasury, and (2)Lottery, funding has been committed to the proposed UK track and field event on 21 July 2018 between athletes from theUK and the US.

lord ashton of hyde: Neither the Government nor UK Sport has been approached to provide any level of financial support towards this event. Therefore no funding, either from HM Treasury or the lottery, has been committed.

London Stadium

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost of converting the London Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from a football stadium to a venue meeting the requirements for an international track and field meet.

lord ashton of hyde: The London Stadium is owned and managed by E20 Stadium LLP, a joint venture between the London Legacy Development Corporation and Newham Council. E20 Stadium LLP is responsible for the costs of the seat moves. As previously disclosed the cost of moving the seats had been budgeted at circa £8 million a year. The transition work first requires the seats to be moved backwards at the end of the football season to reveal the athletics track and bringing them forward at the end of the summer. The Mayor of London’s investigation into the London Stadium includes a review of options for reducing these costs in the future.

Olympic Games: Russia

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the position taken by UK Anti-Doping in support of the letter signed by the National Anti-Doping Organisations in their call for Russia to be banned from the Winter Olympic Games to be held in PyeongChang 2018.

lord ashton of hyde: The letter underlines the need for Russia to meet all the conditions set by the World Anti-Doping Agency before they can, once again, be considered compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code. As our National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO), UK Anti-Doping is determined to ensure that British athletes compete on a clean, level playing field, that also includes all NADOs being compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code.

Sports: Data Protection

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support an opt-out for sport from the General Data Protection Resolution Regulations (EU) 2016/679which come into force on 25 May 2018; and what assessment they have made of the impact of those Regulations on (1) the anti-doping policies of UK Anti-Doping, and (2) powers required for effective governance of their sports by national governing bodies of sport.

lord ashton of hyde: The Data Protection Bill, which recently received its second reading, will create a modern legal framework for the UK, suitable for the digital age, incorporating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The Bill allows the processing of sensitive and criminal conviction data in the absence of consent where justification exists, for example bodies responsible for the fight against doping in sport. We are working to ensure there are no unintended consequences contained in the Data Protection Bill which hamper the effective governance of sports by national governing bodies of sport and other relevant sports bodies.

Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures Review

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made with their review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures.

lord ashton of hyde: We hope to make an announcement on the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures shortly.

Department of Health

Meat: Safety

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, whether they have made any assessment of the relative risks to human health of (1) horse meat in particular from the EU which has had illegal penicillin treatment, (2) pig meat from the Netherlands and Germany infected with Hepatitis E, (3) eggs from the Netherlands contaminated with fripronil, (4) chicken meat past its use by date which has fallen on a slaughterhouse floor, and (5) chlorine-washed chicken.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised that no assessment of the relative risks to human health has been undertaken on these five topics. However, risk assessments are undertaken on individual issues as they arise. The protection of public health from risks which may arise in connection with the consumption of food is paramount to the FSA and comprehensive legislation exists to ensure that food sold in the United Kingdom is safe to eat.

Contraceptives

baroness gould of potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in thelight of concerns raised by Public Health England in their report Sexual health, reproductive health and HIV, published in August, what assessment they have made of the impact of fragmented commissioning on the delivery of (1) all methods of contraception, and (2) very long-acting reversible contraceptives.

baroness gould of potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of concerns raised by Public Health England in their report, Sexual health, reproductive health and HIV, published in August, what steps they are taking to ensure full and open access, regardless of user age or place of residence, to (1) all methods of contraception, and (2) very long-acting reversible contraceptives.

baroness gould of potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of concerns raised by Public Health England in their report, Sexual health, reproductive health and HIV, published in August, what steps they are taking to develop clear national guidance on cross-charging between local authorities for contraceptive services.

baroness gould of potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of concerns raised by Public Health England in their report, Sexual health, reproductive health and HIV, published in August, what steps they are taking to reduce vacancy levels of staff trained to fit very long-acting reversible contraceptives in (1) general practice, and (2) community sexual and reproductive health services.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS Digital publishes annual data on activity in sexual and reproductive health services in England. The most recent data shows that: - during 2016/17, 871,000 women contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for reasons of contraception. This number had been rising up until 2014/15, but has since fallen for two consecutive years;- the percentage of women using long-acting reversible contraceptives has remained stable in recent years, increasing from 37% in 2014/15 to 39% in 2016/17. In 2017/18, Public Health England (PHE) will produce a State of the Nation Report for Reproductive Health, which will highlight delivery of contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, in England using currently routinely collected data as well as large nationally-representative surveys. Ensuring people have access to the full range of contraception and can obtain their chosen method quickly and easily is a key principle of effective contraception services. PHE published an action plan in August 2017 to address concerns identified in their report Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV: A Review of Commissioning, which includes issues affecting the provision of contraception. As part of the action plan, PHE will take forward a range of activities aimed at strengthening commissioning, including providing evidence and data to commissioners to support commissioning and the monitoring of outcomes and building capacity and capability in sexual and reproductive health commissioning. The full action plan is attached.



Sexual health action plan
(PDF Document, 1.11 MB)

Travel: Vaccination

baroness hayman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the terms of reference and timescale for the review of travel vaccinations being undertaken by Public Health England.

lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England is currently scoping the request from NHS England to review the travel vaccinations provided on the National Health Service, as contained in its consultation Items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: A Consultation on guidance for CCGs. A copy of the consultation is attached. This will be an initial assessment of the need and value of a more in-depth look at the policy and public health issues involved.



NHS Consultation 
(PDF Document, 790.89 KB)

Fentanyl

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Macmillan Cancer Support over the potential withdrawal of the Fentanyl citrate drug for dying cancer patients who need urgent pain relief.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagement they have had with patients and carers to inform NHS England's proposals to restrict prescribing of fast-acting Fentanyl for cancer patients.

lord o'shaughnessy: There are no plans to restrict the prescribing of immediate release fentanyl for cancer patients. As such, no specific discussions have taken place with Macmillan Cancer Support about its potential withdrawal. NHS England has drafted and is currently consulting on commissioning guidance, which may result in a decision by clinical commissioning groups to recommend their prescribers to restrict the prescription of fentanyl in a primary care setting on the National Health Service for patients where other appropriate medicines are available. The consultation closes on 21 October and NHS England continues to seek views on its proposals. No final decisions have yet been made.

Congenital Abnormalities

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many births classed as (1) spina bifida, (2) hydrocephalus, and (3) anencephaly caused by neural tube defects, there have been in each of the last five years.

lord o'shaughnessy: The following table provides counts of birth episodes with a primary or secondary diagnosis of spina bifida, spina bifida with hydrocephalus, hydrocephalus, hydrocephalus in other diseases, and anencephaly. Activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sectorYearSpina bifidaSpina bifida with hydrocephalusHydrocephalusHydrocephalus in other diseasesAnencephaly2012-13106481320252013-14111431160292014-1599501312262015-16122381363282016-1711641157135 Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS DigitalNotes: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer includes in admitted patient HES data. Conversely, apparent increases in activity may be due to improved recording of diagnosis or procedure information. It should be noted that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2015-16 includes activity ending between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016. It should be noted that as the question specifies the number of births classed as spina bifida, hydrocephalus and anencephaly caused by neural tube defects, the response is restricted to birth episodes where the diagnosis has occurred at the time or due to a previous antenatal scan. An episode that includes diagnosis codes from more than one of the above groups will be counted in each relevant category.